Fishing data display device

• US 7,161,872 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2004
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Original Assignee: Shimano Inc
• Inventors: Kuriyama, Hiroaki, Yamamoto, Kazuhito, Kobayashi, Koichi, Nomura, Masakazu, Fukuda, Yasushi, Hirayama, Hirokazu, Fujimoto, Hiroyasu, Hamato, Hiroyuki, Kawabe, Yuzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo; Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US10/999,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20050162976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 367/107, 367/111, 43/4, 43/25
• US Class Current: 367/111
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 89/00 Reels
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 89/015 with a rotary drum , i.e. with a rotating spoolA01K89/033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 89/0192 Frame details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/06 Systems determining the position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/96 for locating fish

Abstract

A fish depth monitor is a device that can display first water depth data that indicates the location of terminal tackle that is engaged on fishing line reeled out from a spool, and second water depth data that indicates the location of the bottom of a fishing location transmitted from a fish finder, and includes a case, first and second reception portions, a display unit, and a control unit. The first and second reception portions receive the first water depth data from an electric driven reel and the second water depth data from the fish finder. The control unit graphically displays the received first and second water depth data in positions that correspond to the water depth on the display unit. It is possible to intuitively determine the positional relationship between the location of the terminal tackle and the location of the bottom.

Claims

1. A fishing data display device adapted to communicate with a fish finder and be operatively coupled to a fishing reel, a fishing line with a terminal tackle being adapted to be reeled out from a spool of the fishing reel, the fishing data display device comprising:

a case;

a first reception portion that is arranged in the case and is configured to receive from the fishing reel first water depth data that indicates a location of the terminal tackle;

a second reception portion that is arranged in the case and is configured to receive from the fish finder second water depth data that indicates a location of a bottom of a fishing location, the second reception portion being further configured to recieve from the fish finder third water depth data that indicates a fish location at which fish are gathered;

a display unit arranged in the case so as to be visible from an exterior; and

a control unit operatively coupled to the first and second reception portions and the display unit, the control unit being configured to graphically display the first, second and third water depth data on the display unit, so as to show a positional relationship of the terminal tackle, the bottom of the fishing location and the fish location.

2. The fishing data display device set forth in claim 1, wherein

the control unit is further configured to display at least one of the first and second water depth data as a numerical value on the display unit.

3. The fishing data display device set forth in claim 1, wherein

the control unit is further configured to display the first, second and third water depth data on the display unit chronologically and graphically.

4. The fishing data display device set forth in claim 1, wherein

the case is arranged separately on the fishing reel, and

the fishing reel is adapted to transmit the first water depth data to the fishing data display device.

5. The fishing data display device set forth in claim 1, wherein

the display unit is configured to assume one of a standard display mode and an enlarged display mode, and

the control unit is configured to display each of the first, second and third water depth data in one of the standard display mode and the enlarged display mode so as to show a positional relationship of the terminal tackle, the bottom of the fishing location, and the fish location, and is further configured to switch to either the standard display mode or the enlarged display mode based on which of the first, second and third water depth data is being displayed.

6. The fishing data display device set forth in claim 5, further comprising:

an operation key unit configured for operation by a fisherman,

the control unit being configured to switch between the standard display mode and the enlarged display mode when the fisherman operates the operation key unit to request a mode switch.

7. The fishing data display device set forth in claim 5, wherein

the control unit is configured to switch between the standard display mode and the enlarged display mode based on the second water depth data obtained from the fish finder.

8. The fishing data display device set forth in claim 5, wherein

the control unit is further configured to display the first, second and third water depth data on the display unit chronologically and graphically, and

when switched to the enlarged display mode, the control unit graphically displays the first water depth data that is in a range between half of a maximum water depth of the second water depth data and the maximum second water depth data.

9. A fishing data display device adapted to communicate with a fish finder and be operatively coupled to a fishing reel, a fishing line with a terminal tackle being adapted to be reeled out from a spool of the fishing reel, the fishing data display device comprising:

a case;

a first reception portion that is arranged in the case and is configured to recieve from the fishing reel first water depth data that indicates a location of the terminal tackle;

a second reception portion that is arranged in the case and is configured to recieve from the fish finder second water depth data that indicates a location of a bottom of a fishing location;

a display unit arranged in the case so as to be visible from an exterior; and

a control unit operatively coupled to the first and second reception portions and the display unit, the control unit being configured to graphically display the first second water depth data on the display unit, so as to show a positional relationship of the terminal tackle the bottom of the fishing location,

the control unit being further configured to correct the first water depth data based on the second water depth data and obtain corrected first water depth data, and

the control unit being further configured to display the corrected first water depth data on the display unit.

10. The fishing data display device set forth in claim 9, wherein;

the control unit is further configured to graphically display the corrected first water depth data on the display unit.

11. The fishing data display device set forth in claim 10, wherein

the corrected first water depth data is obtained by first calculating a correction coefficient which is obtained by dividing the second water depth data with the first water depth data, and then multiplying the correction coefficient by the first water depth data.

12. The fishing data display device set forth in claim 10, wherein

the control unit is configured to assume a position correction mode and to obtain the corrected first water depth data when the control unit is in the position correction mode.

13. The fishing data display device set forth in claim 9, further comprising

an operation key unit that a fisherman is adapted to operate,

the control unit being configured to assume the position correction mode when the fisherman operates the operation key unit and sets the position correction mode.